Just a quick update.
I mentioned 3 things in my previous posts about equipment for this tank. I planned to buy things that were needed from UK suppliers but they were either too expensive, or not available in the UK. For these I did an Aliexpress purchase, reluctantly I may add.
The 1st, or so I believe, was a flat heater that looks way better than the usual tubular ones and easier to conceal especially againt a black background.
That's a SunSun 50 watt heater. That's arrived and is really nice. It hasn't been put to any great test yet although I did run it for a couple of days on another tank, however I have been using SunSun canister heaters for a few months with no problems. The fact that the heater is flat makes it easier on the eye.
The next thing I was looking at was a tank wide overhead light, ie one that was exactly the width of the tank at 36cm. I searched everywhere but 36cm isn't readily accomodated in the UK, so once more Aliexpress provided the answer
with the Chihiros A361. Having already bought and love the Chihiros Vivid 2, there was nothing to dislike about the A361. It doesn't have a colour option as in the Vivid 2 but apart from that it looks really professional with proper vinyl side plates rather than the pull-out wire legs. It sits firmly on the tank top and it has a controller to set lighting parameters. Again, it looks just so professional and way better than most options in the UK. I asked the UK agent if they supplied it, and they said they could get one on prepayment at a cost of £48. The one direct from Aliexpress cost me £31 in total inc VAT and delivery.
Next I searched for a suitable filter for the nano tank that could be used externally. There are several that can be hung on the back of course but the problem arises when there is insufficient space between the back of the tank and the wall. Also they really don't look all that nice being in obvious sight, just hanging there sort of like an extra hump on a camel. So I spent days searching for external canister filters of suitable size for a nano tank. There are many externals of course but they all tend to be way too large for such a small tank, and space becomes a problem as they would need some sort of deep cabinet to hide them in. Eventually I found what I thought would be an ideal unit.
This is a hang on back unit but has the advantage of being able to be easily used as a hidden canister filter.
It arrived on Friday and I quickly opened it up to see how it looked internally. It has 4 trays all linked together, as is usual with canister filters. Each of them had sponge filter medium in them so I took out the filter material from the 1st of them and replaced it with the normal ceramic rings from an old filter. I also took sponge filter material from an already running filter to place at the bottom of the canister. It was really quite dirty so after a tank-water squeeze to remove the obvious gunk I placed it where the input pipe was located so that the beneficial bacteria got 1st bite of the cherry.
Right now I have it just hanging on another tank to keep it going until I'm ready to add it to the nano tank before the introduction of fish. I'll easily knock up some inlet and outlet pipes that will look much better than the black plastic ones, and long enought to be able to hide it underneath the tank out of sight.
This isn't an advert for Aliexpress but just shows what you can find in the myriad of items their traders sell, that are either not yet in the UK or way to expensive if they are,
So, right now the tank is just soaking for a week at least to allow better growth on the Monte Carlo and after that will have the moss and anubias replaced, then of course the Blue Eyed Red Neon Rainbowfish
(Pseudomugil luminatus) can be added. All 4 of them, 3 female and a single male.
The tank took 16 litres to fill it so overstocking needs to be prevented but the fish seem happy enough in a small breeding tank of similar size.
